Chapter 8

"Sure, Claire can stay as long as she wants!" Zhen Fan pinched Claire's cheek again, "Mrs. Moore, don't worry, I'll take care of Claire!"

"That's really very kind of you!" Annie's face was slightly red, clearly feeling that it was a bit abrupt to trouble her neighbor after just two days, "Call me Annie, Mrs. Moore sounds too formal, doesn't it?"

"Alright, Annie, don't worry!" Zhen Fan wasn't being overly formal.

Annie smiled at Zhen Fan, then squatted down and touched Claire's cheek with affection, "Since you like it here, stay!"

She stood up and walked to the door, winking at Zhen Fan.

Zhen Fan, understanding the signal, followed Annie to the door.

Annie looked worriedly at Claire, who was smiling and eating cake in the living room, and forced a smile full of apology, "Claire has always been a bit strange, and she doesn't want to go to school. It's not that she hasn't been, but she always gets bullied. If it's a bother, I'll take her back in a bit!"

"No problem, maybe she'll become happier here!"

Zhen Fan smiled. He had already noticed that Claire was a bit different, with a strange look.

"Thank you! Goodbye, Zhen!"

Annie leaned over and gave Zhen Fan a light hug on the shoulder, then left.

"Goodbye, Annie!"

Zhen Fan waved to Annie, then turned to look at Claire, who was staring at him with a smile. She smiled more often when she was with Zhen Fan.

"Is it good?" Zhen Fan sat cross-legged opposite Claire, reaching out to touch her head, "Do you like it here?"

Claire nodded, then looked up at Zhen Fan timidly.

"Can I come here often, Uncle Zhen?"

"Of course, why not!"

"Thank you, Uncle Zhen!" Claire suddenly lifted her face and smiled, her dimples on her fair cheeks looking particularly cute, her eyes twinkling like the Barbie doll in her hand.

"Then tell Uncle, why does Claire like it here?"

"Because I don't see them here!"

Claire looked very happy.

"Them?" Zhen Fan looked at Claire with confusion.

Claire nodded, her face tense, as if she was still haunted by "them."

Zhen Fan looked at her eyes again, and then smiled with some relief, understanding what Claire meant by "them."

This poor little girl, no wonder she was usually so timid, as if she was always on guard against something. But the place where he lived was clean because of his own reasons, free from evil influences, making it much cleaner than other places. This was why Claire wanted to stay here.

After a while, Zhen Fan felt a bit tired from reading. He looked at the living room, where Claire, tired from playing, was lying quietly on the sofa, curled up like a kitten, with a faint smile on her face, looking very endearing.

"Knock, knock!"

Someone was knocking on the door. Zhen Fan opened it, and it was Annie.

"Shh!" Zhen Fan put his finger to his lips, "Claire is sleeping!"

He let Annie in. Annie followed Zhen Fan's finger and looked at Claire, curled up on the sofa with a small blanket over her, her smile bringing her great comfort.

They walked quietly to the other side of the living room and spoke in low voices.

"She... hasn't slept so soundly in a long time. Look at her smile, it's incredible. How did you do it? Claire rarely smiles at home."

Annie couldn't contain her curiosity.

"Mrs. Moore... Annie... It might sound strange, but I think Claire is troubled, perhaps by seeing things she shouldn't!"

Zhen Fan tried to explain clearly, but Annie clearly misunderstood.

Her fair face turned red, and she looked uneasy.

"This... Are you talking about... sex? Thomas and I are very careful, and our rooms are separate... Could we have overlooked something? Oh, God!"

Annie covered her mouth.

Zhen Fan was speechless, watching the woman's face turn from fair to red, and then to pale.

"Cough, cough!" Zhen Fan cleared his throat, "Annie, do you believe in the soul?"

Annie looked at Zhen Fan in surprise, then realized she had misunderstood, feeling a bit awkward, but quickly became engrossed by Zhen Fan's question!

"What do you mean by this...?"

"So what I'm saying... is that Claire sees things she shouldn't, things that ordinary people can't see!"

"God, God, how is that possible!"

Annie suddenly covered her mouth, staring at Zhen Fan in shock.

"I wonder if Claire was born weak, or if she had a serious illness when she was young?"

"Yes, but..."

"Has she always been in poor health?"

"Yes, that's right!"

"That's it, Annie. Look at the space between Claire's eyebrows. There's a slight indentation, which in Chinese terms is called the 'yin-yang eye.' It can see both life and death."

"How... how can this be? This... is too shocking, too... " She wanted to say "ridiculous," but seeing Zhen Fan's serious face, she didn't say it.

"Alright, Annie, you can think I'm talking nonsense, but if Claire likes it here, she's welcome to come anytime. I think it will be good for her!"

"Thank you..." Annie was now hesitant.

Zhen Fan could see her hesitation.

After Claire woke up, she was hurriedly taken away by Annie, despite her reluctance, looking at Zhen Fan with sad eyes. Clearly, Zhen Fan's words had frightened Annie, making her doubt or even distrust him.

Zhen Fan didn't care. If Annie didn't want Claire to come, she wouldn't. It was a pity for the little girl, but Zhen Fan's words were just based on his knowledge, and he couldn't be sure if they were accurate.

Life returned to its usual calm. Zhen Fan stayed at home most of the time, going out only to buy necessities, and spent the rest of his time reading.

Claire occasionally came over, but each visit was short, and she was always taken back by Annie. Annie also spoke to Zhen Fan less.

This was fine, as it made things quieter.

During this time, Zhen Fan submitted his certificates and exam application to the California Department of Education, and received a confirmation letter smoothly. After about ten days, he received a notice to prepare for the exam.

Zhen Fan was lucky. The California exam was originally in April, but it was changed to July this year, possibly due to a decision by a high-ranking official.

"Ross, I want to rent your taxi to go to Los Angeles!" Zhen Fan called the black guy a day in advance to avoid last-minute chaos.

"Eddie, my name is Eddie..." The voice on the other end was angry, and then the sound of emergency braking came through the receiver, "You bastard, do you want me to cut off your balls... Hey, I'm not talking to you, buddy. Tell me a time, I'll be there on time, don't forget my name!"

The call ended, and the guy was always so impulsive.

That night, Zhen Fan went to bed early to rest and prepare for the exam the next day.

The next morning, Eddie was waiting at the door, honking his horn non-stop!

"What are you going to take? Police, lawyer, or doctor?"

"Traditional Chinese Medicine!" Zhen Fan got in, and Eddie floored the gas pedal.

"Traditional Chinese Medicine? I've heard of it, it's quite amazing. My brother once used it, and those long needles were scary. Honestly, it felt like witchcraft!"

"Oh, your brother tried Traditional Chinese Medicine?"

"Yes, but it didn't work, and he died, didn't he?"

What's the connection? What's the connection between it not working and him dying? Didn't he say his brother drowned, dragged down by a strange fish?

At Eddie's speed, Zhen Fan quickly arrived at the exam location, the Merritt Hotel on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles.

"Good luck, buddy!"

Eddie gave Zhen Fan a thumbs up.

Zhen Fan raised his hand to give an "OK" sign, but heard a "whoosh" as the taxi disappeared, leaving him a bit awkward.

The first day's exam included a written test and practical operation on disease transmission, clean needle techniques, and safe acupuncture clinical guidelines. The morning written test had thirty multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, to be completed within a specified time, with one attempt allowed. The afternoon practical test involved inserting needles into oneself and explaining and answering questions to the examiner.

This was no problem, as long as he followed the procedures and answered the questions.

The second day was a written test on Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and clinical practice, lasting five hours with over two hundred multiple-choice questions covering the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, diagnosis, acupuncture techniques, and clinical practice.

The exam was held in the hotel's main hall. Zhen Fan looked around and saw a sea of people, with over a thousand participants, mostly Americans, and predominantly Caucasians, with a few African Americans. Asians were in the minority, showing the unique charm of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The third day was the acupuncture point examination, where the examiner gave fifteen points, and the examinee had to place special adhesive tape on the model's acupuncture points within a specified time. The real model sat in a partitioned exam room, with an examiner standing nearby.

For these three days, Eddie was very punctual, always appearing on time to pick up and drop off Zhen Fan, of course, because Zhen Fan paid him two hundred dollars.

After all the exams were over, Zhen Fan left the hotel. He finished early, and Eddie hadn't arrived yet, so he stood on the street, looking around idly.

His phone rang, and Zhen Fan answered, hearing a woman's voice.

"That woman is dead!"

Which woman? Zhen Fan was stunned.